Venice flooding and sea level: past evolution, present issues, and future projections (introduction to the special issue)

Venice faces increasing flooding threats due to rising relative sea levels and extreme water heights. Research indicates that these hazards will likely worsen and accelerate throughout the 21st century, potentially rendering current defense strategies inadequate under high-emission scenarios. The study highlights the challenges posed by compound events, which complicate flood forecasting and the operation of mobile barriers like MoSE. Future research must focus on reducing uncertainty in sea level rise projections while developing adaptive planning strategies to address these challenges effectively.

Lionello, P., Nicholls, R. J., Umgiesser, G., & Zanchettin, D. (2021). Venice flooding and sea level: past evolution, present issues, and future projections (introduction to the special issue). Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences, 21(8), 2633–2641. https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-21-2633-2021